Really good seascape photography is not about expensive equipment or hi-tech methods. You need a decent DSLR camera (any make will do), good lenses and a basic understanding of camera settings. You will need a tripod. Also a wide angle lens. A 10-20mm lens, 10-22mm, 11-16mm or 17-40mm. The basic 18-55mm lens or similar lens will also do the trick.

It is not compulsory but it is wise to invest in lens filters to attach to the lens to get more special effects. Personally, I think a Circular Polarizing Filter is a must when working with water. Not only will it get rid of reflections in the water but also darken the whole scene a bit to be able to work with slower shutter speeds. An ND8 filter will also come in handy when doing water photography as it gives you a much slower shutter speed when not working in shady or overcast conditions.

If you really want to be artistic you can try a ND400 or ND500 filter. With this, you will be able to use shutter speeds of 2 minutes or even longer depending on the light conditions available. Make sure you buy the correct size filter for your lens.

Most of the time your timer function on your camera will work fine to limit camera shake but if going for longer shutter speeds than 30 seconds you will need a remote to trigger the shutter.

Work with the weather. Make sure you know what the weather will be like when you do the planning for your photo shoot. I use a website called www.yr.no for most of my weather forecasts when I plan a shoot. It will give an indication on what kind of clouds there will be if it will rain etc. Also, make sure you know at what hour the sun will rise or set. Try to avoid very windy days. The chances are good that your photos will blur because of camera shake. Early morning before sunrise and late afternoons with sunset are the best times to photograph seascapes. Make sure you are at your ideal spot at least 20-30 minutes before sunrise or sunset.

Camera Settings

I like using “Aperture” mode when doing seascape photography. This way I can decide on what my depth of field must be. Normally I choose a wide depth of field so that everything in the photo will be sharp and in focus. With a 10-20mm lens, I normally set the aperture to F/11. The camera will decide for itself what the shutter speed will be according to the available light. Before sunrise and after sunset the shutter speed will be very slow and during the day, while the sun is shining the shutter speed will be very fast. I like doing seascape photography in the early mornings and late afternoons. Personally, I like the colours during the golden hour. I also like the slower shutter speed effects on the water.

Try to get a good composition before taking the photo. A nice rock in the foreground, a piece of driftwood or something else that will make the photo interesting. Make sure to set the focus on this subject. Also, make sure the ISO is set to 100 when doing this kind of photography.